Kendo Baby's back again! YAY! I'm done my exams, I'm done my exams! YAY! Thanks to Metal Heart-Ruby Fangs for the good luck review!

Now, to the story,

Chapter 8: The Land of the Beasts

Hilary

"How much further is it?" I ask, walking up a steep hill with Zorion and Mirari. We started our journey to Ramiro this morning at the crack of dawn, and we are still walking! I mean, obviously they don't have any technology, but can't they be creative and invent something? Well, I guess training with the Bladebreakers almost every day actually paid off.

"Not much longer, Miss Hilary." Zorion said. He reached out for my hand and helped me up the hill. I told him not to call me that!

"Zorion, Miss Hilary said not to call her that!" exclaimed Mirari, giggling at her own joke.

Oh, I give up.

"What are you planning to ask Ramiro, Miss Hilary?" Zorion asked curiously. His hand was still entangled with mine. If Tyson witnessed this scene, he'd freak.

"Um…I think I'll ask him about the Ben, and about the Land of the Beasts." I replied to him, watching each of my steps carefully. After all, we are pretty high up, and I am so not looking down.

"I can tell you about the Land of The Beasts!" says Mirari happily, eager to tell a story to me. That girl is so adorable, but there's something about her I can't put my finger on. She begins the story once I tell her to begin.

"Before both our worlds were created, the Land of the Beasts was in harmony, and all of its citizens were friendly and nice!" began Mirari. I listen closely and carefully. Maybe this story has something to do with The Blade and Ben.

"But, sadly, one man had the intention of sealing all the good in the world in one place, and leaving the bad to conquer." She said sadly. Wait…one man?

"Is this man named Ben? Benjamin?" I said anxiously. If my hunch is right, then that might mean something…

"Why, yes! Miss Hilary, you are very smart!" Mirari said to me, giving me a big hug. I smiled unsurely, and then relaxed a bit.

"Thanks, Mirari. But, can you continue the story?" I ask, trying to sound as polite as I can. I look at Zorion, but for some reason, he looks so uneasy.

"OK! Anyway, the legend says that one special miracle came and sealed the bad in one spot, before the good was sealed. Unfortunately, the man-Ben, as you say- also managed to seal the good in that same spot." She finished, as we continued walking up the steep hill. By now, I could see a huge castle where Ramiro supposedly lived.

"That makes sense, but where is this spot where the good and bad are sealed?" I asked, directing this question to Zorion. For some reason, Zorion was silent. Something was bugging him, and I was intent on finding out what it was.

But, for now, all I wanted to do was get my questions answered.

Zorion shrugged. "Nobody knows where, except for Ramiro. He is the supreme judge here, the one who knows the ancient history of this place."

The rest of the way was silence. I had to process all this information, and try to relate it to me and my beyblade. Kenny had mentioned something to me about my beyblade's 'Ying-Yang personality'. Does that mean that the place where the good and bad are sealed is in my beyblade?

But what's the deal with Ben? How does he fit into all this? I mean, if all this happened centuries ago, why is Ben still the one who is causing all this?

How old is he anyway?

The Bladebreakers

Wow! Look at all the shops! I thought, as we passed merchants, materials and strange people. AND LOOK AT THE FOOD!

"Stop drooling, Tyson." Said Kai angrily, glaring at me. I glared right back. I could do whatever I wanted!

But he does have a point (although I'd never tell him). We aren't here for the clothes or the food. There's an ancient shrine somewhere around here, and Kenny believes that it'll have the key to what we're looking for.

Or, I mean who we're looking for.

In the horizon, I saw a huge tower thing, reflecting the sun's light into my eyes. I cover my hands over my eyes, and look at the tower.

"Do you guys see that?" I ask them, and they all nodded. It was pretty big, with tourists all around it, and probably guards. I wonder if this is the right shrine.

We walk to it in silence, each of us thinking of our own individual thoughts. I knew they were all worried for Hilary, but we all tried to be strong. Hilary wouldn't want us to worry. Besides, I bet she's having a blast, wherever she is.

But, still…I want to make sure she's okay. If she's still mad at me for ruining her date (I doubt that she is though. Ben is a total jerk.), I'll leave. But not without saying sorry to her and making sure she isn't hurt.

At last, we made it to the shrine. There were a lot of people entering the tower, so were able to blend in the crown, unnoticed, although Kai had to hold my nose so that I didn't sneeze and blow away out cover.

"What are all these pictures on the wall?" I asked, noticing different pictures drawn on the walls on the shrine.

"They're used to communicate among the other people, and to show ancient legends for future generations to view." Said Kenny matter-of-factly, playing with his glasses.

I nodded, and looked at the pictures. There were lots of them, but one specific one caught my eye. It sort of looked like a squished black and white grape, but when I close my eyes just a bit and look closely, I see that it's the symbol of the Ying-Yang, but they're separated. Like, split up so to speak. And, there's a picture of a girl in the middle, being sucked into both the light and dark.

Hm… it's a bit strange.

"Whoa!" I hear Max exclaim, and hurry to catch up to the others up ahead. I follow to where Max is pointing, and I follow his gaze.

My eyes widen when I see who's there, staring at one of the pictures.

"Ben."

Hilary

Finally, we made it! I hugged Mirari tightly, so happy that we finally made it up this dumb hill. It's been hours, but we did it. Even Zorion's mood's been lifted, and he smiles a very tired smile at me.

From a far, Ramiro's castle was large, but not nearly as large as up close. I gaze as its structure, admiring it. It was beautifully made, although it looks pretty old. There were vines that were growing on it, and at the top of the tower, they was a Ying-Yang symbol.

"Well, let's go!" I exclaim happily. We waltz in the tower, and I can't help but smile. Finally, all my questions were going to be answered! Like, how can I get back to my world? I certainly can't stay here!

"Miss Hilary, before we go in, it's said that you can't enter this tower until you're sure that you want to know the answers to your questions. Ramiro will never lie, and he tells it like it is, whether the fate is good or bad." Said Zorion, stopping me before I enter.

Is he crazy? I thought, giving him a weird look, before sighing. "Zorion, we've been climbing this hill for hours, and now I want to know what Ramiro has to say," I said tiredly, grabbing his arm. "Now come on."

"Miss Hilary, we can't come with you. Only those who have questions can enter." Said Mirari lightly.

I gaped ay them. "Come on! Don't tell me you have nothing to ask Ramiro?" I asked nervously. I can't believe it. They came all this way, and yet they expect me to see Ramiro alone!

Zorion shook his head. "Only those who are pure in asking their questions, are allowed to ask." He said, placing a comforting hand on my shoulder.

Ok, I can do this, I thought, as I opened the wooded doors, and the light engulfed me. I shielded my eyes with my hands, and listened to the voice talking.

"Who is pure enough to see Ramiro?" the voice asks from somewhere in the light.

"Um…Hilary Tatibana is." I said confidently. My questions are pure. I need to know what Ben is up to, and what it has to do with me. And, how to get back to Japan, of course.

"State your question, Miss Hilary." Replied Ramiro. I sweat dropped. What is with this place and the Miss stuff?

"Um…what is The Blade?" I ask first, yelling into the light. I grow impatient as Ramiro grows silent for a bit.

"The Blade is in your clothes." Ramiro answered.

My clothes…I check myself and my hands met my Beyblade.

Wait a minute…The Blade is my beyblade! But what is so good about it?

"It is the place where the good and bad are sealed." Said Ramiro, as if he was reading my mind.

I gasped. Good and bad…in my blade! I thought scarily. I pulled out my beyblade from my pocket, and stared at it. So this is what it all means. That just leaves one more question.

"How do I get home?" I asked him, scared for the answer. I mean, he can't say no. Tyson and the others always find a way to do things, and I shouldn't be an exception!

Ramiro was silent for a while, and I waited eagerly. In anxiety. Until finally, he said something.

"You can't."

TBC…

Well, that's it! I'm so happy that I don't have to study anymore, and I never have to worry about another stupid test again. But, sadly, I haven't gotten my report card yet, and it's coming in the mail, and I await its arrival in nervousness. I mean, my whole damned school is so smart, and my parents think I shouldn't be an exception. I'm a writer! Not a studier or a geek!

Oh, and yeah! The song I love right now is Promiscuous by Nelly Furtado. You know the innocent one that made that song with the Fly like a Bird, or something. Well, she's…um, not that innocent in this video.


Tell you what? Try and research the word Promiscuous, and tell me what it means, then you'll know how naughty she is! But I love her!

Kendo Baby